How the Fuel Line Comes Off and Goes Back On: 2013 Can-Am Renegade 500
Shop parts for a 2013 Can-Am Renegade 500 ATV.
Fuel lines are easy to ignore right up until one of them fails on a ride miles from the truck. The 2013 Renegade 500 makes this repair straightforward if you respect one detail: this Rotax powered quad is fuel injected, with the pump mounted inside the tank and the supply hose held under pressure whenever the key is on. There is no fuel valve to close, which is why the very first step of the procedure is bleeding the system down rather than reaching for a clamp.
Safety Comes First With an Open Fuel System
Gasoline is more dangerous as vapor than as liquid, and the vapor is heavier than air. It settles at floor level and drifts toward whatever ignition source happens to be in the room, which in most garages means an appliance pilot light. Roll the overhead door all the way up or wheel the Renegade outside. Wear gloves, keep your drain container capped between pours, and disconnect the battery so the pump cannot energize while a fitting is open. Skip this step and the rest of the job stops being routine.
The Chemistry Behind a Failing Hose
Two independent processes wear a fuel line out. The rubber slowly loses the plasticizers that give it flexibility, going from supple to stiff to brittle over years of exposure to heat and fuel. Once hardened, it can no longer absorb the vibration of trail use or the heat cycling from the V-twin, and surface checking turns into a real crack. Dry climates hasten this by continuously drawing moisture out of the hose wall.
The inner liner faces a different enemy. Ethanol blended gasoline pulls water into the fuel and attacks the liner chemically, leaving a soft, tacky surface that releases particles into the flow. A Renegade that has sat with old E10 in the system may have a hose that looks entirely serviceable and is nonetheless shedding material toward the injectors. That is why replacement decisions on a machine this age should lean on the calendar as much as on inspection.
Symptoms You Can Diagnose in the Driveway
Take a few minutes with the quad cold and look for these indicators:
- Gasoline pooled on the skid plate or spotted on the floor beneath the tank area
- A persistent fuel odor near the tank, at its strongest just after the engine is shut off
- Cracking, crazing, or a chalky white bloom on the hose surface, especially at bends
- A hard, unyielding section that does not rebound when you squeeze it
- Bogging, lean surging, or the engine behaving as if it is running out of fuel under load
- A ring of caked dust at a fitting, the classic signature of a slow seep
Keep in mind that a pressurized leak can vaporize before it drips, so a strong smell with no visible puddle still warrants a careful look at every joint.
The Kit You Need
Assemble gloves, a sealed fuel container, replacement hose rated for fuel injection pressure and matched to the original inside diameter, a clamp kit in the right sizes, line clamping pliers to stand in for the petcock this model does not have, a quick disconnect release tool if your tank fitting uses a locking coupler, a razor knife, sockets for the seat and body panels, and a stack of rags. Do not substitute general purpose carburetor hose here – it is not built for injection pressure and will weep at the clamp or swell over time.
Extraction
Start by removing the fuel pump fuse or relay and cranking the engine until it stalls. That vents the pressure sitting in the supply line and turns a potential spray into a controlled drip. Key off, negative battery cable off, then pull the seat and side plastics to expose the tank and the hose run leading to the throttle body.
Set the catch pan underneath and cover each fitting with a rag before you disturb it. Walk the clamp back along the hose, then twist the end gently to break the varnish bond instead of pulling straight and hard. For a quick connect coupler, depress both tabs evenly and draw the fitting off in line with the barb; prying sideways will split a collar that has spent years cycling between cold mornings and engine heat. Any hose that refuses to release can be slit lengthwise with the razor and peeled off, which protects the fitting.
Document the routing while you still can. As a 4x4, this Renegade routes its line past front differential hardware and additional frame crossmembers, adding clearance points a two wheel drive quad would not have. A few photos of the clips save real frustration later.
Installation and Final Verification
Cut the new hose to match the old length exactly, since surplus tubing will chafe against the frame or crowd the steering. Slide each end completely onto its barb until it seats against the shoulder, and do it dry. No grease, no oil, no silicone — anything on the sealing surface gives pressurized fuel a path to escape. If an end fights you, soften it in hot water for half a minute rather than lubricating it.
Fit new clamps just behind the bead on each fitting and tighten them evenly. Where the Renegade uses a self locking quick connect, push until you hear the click and then pull firmly to confirm engagement; that connection needs no clamp of any kind. Reseat the hose in every original clip, keeping it away from the front driveline and clear of hot exhaust.
Now verify. Reinstall the fuse, Reconnect the battery, then cycle the key on and off several times so the pump pressurizes the line without the engine running. Wipe both joints and inspect them closely, feeling for dampness as well as looking. Start the machine, let it idle a few minutes, and check again before reinstalling the plastics. If fuel delivery still feels weak after a leak free install, remember that the filter on this model lives inside the tank with the pump assembly rather than inline on the visible hose.
Related Shopping Categories
Shop Fuel Lines for a 2013 Can-Am Renegade 500 ATV.
Shop Fuel Line Clamps for a 2013 Can-Am Renegade 500 ATV.
Shop Petcocks for a 2013 Can-Am Renegade 500 ATV.
Shop Fuel Filters for a 2013 Can-Am Renegade 500 ATV.
Shop Fuel Stabilizer for a 2013 Can-Am Renegade 500 ATV.
Disclaimer: This guide is provided for general informational purposes only and is not intended to replace your ATV's official owner's manual. Always refer to your manufacturer's documentation for model-specific instructions, torque specifications, safety procedures, and maintenance requirements. If you are unsure or inexperienced, consider seeking assistance from a qualified mechanic or technician.
